Travel power

[Top cat]

Dave

 

Thanks for the preventative maintenance tips, where are Cox's?

 

Top Cat

[Retardedrocker]

We have a 175 amp alt. and a mastervolt 2500/100 which can cope with anything we run.

Well, I'm halfway there. I have the inverter, but only a weedy 70 amp alternator. It's fine for what I do now, but I will upgrade when I start CCing in a year or so.

 

Is it an easy fit?

[Phil.]

Well, I'm halfway there. I have the inverter, but only a weedy 70 amp alternator. It's fine for what I do now, but I will upgrade when I start CCing in a year or so.

Is it an easy fit?

Sorry I wouldn't know as it all came fitted on a new engine.

[dmr]

Have you tried fitting the new bearings yourself?

 

Last year a rather nice semi-retired bloke did it for £10 (I supplied the bearing). It really really did need a press, though ours is the older Bosch unit. I would rather pay than take a hammer and drift to my precious TravelPower, still have bad memories off beating out the King Pins on a 2CV, a press is a very civilised way of doing things.

 

..................Dave

Dave

 

Thanks for the preventative maintenance tips, where are Cox's?

 

Top Cat

 

Atherstone

 

http://www.coxautomotive.co.uk/

 

They have more or less reverse engineered the TravelPower and have made the various test jigs needed.

 

.................Dave

[Geo]

I think whether to install a TP or a 3 or 4kW diesel generator depends on how the boat is going to be used.

 

If the boat is a leisure weekend/two weeks holiday boat and there is a desperate need for heavy AC items the TP (the 3.5kW version) could well suit.

 

If the boat is going to be used for CCing on the basis of cruise and then moor for a couple of weeks then I think the diesel 3/4kW generator come fully into its own. Properly installed they can be almost silent and external to the boat passers-by would not know the generator is running until they get with 30 or 40 feet of the boat and then only a quiet murmuring.

 

In terms of running economy a good diesel generator is more economical to run that running the main engine to provide AC power. Plus running the main engine is wasteful of engine hours and fuel. A good 3-4kW diesel generator will use something of the order of 0.3 litre of diesel per kWh being generated whereas a main engine a Beta etc will use of the order of 0.75/1 litre of fuel per hour regardless of how little power is being generated plus the extra noise of the main engine.

 

Thus on a liveaboard I believe the diesel generator gives the ability to charge the boats batteries, using a charger as if it was on a shoreline, providing AC for that washing machine etc when needed and not having to delay the washing until the boat is cruising, oh and of course the lady's hairdryer. It is a question of is the owner going to change the way they want to do things to cope with only being able to do the washing when they are cruising to do it economically whenever they want whether moored for a week or so not.

 

ETA Of course if a diesel generator is install you are not limited to 3 or 4 kWs could be 5, 6 7 kW or even 8. Maybe time to consider doing away with gas cooking and going all electric,

Edited September 15, 2016 by Geo

[BruceinSanity]

Last year a rather nice semi-retired bloke did it for £10 (I supplied the bearing). It really really did need a press, though ours is the older Bosch unit. I would rather pay than take a hammer and drift to my precious TravelPower, still have bad memories off beating out the King Pins on a 2CV, a press is a very civilised way of doing things.

 

..................Dave

 

Atherstone

 

http://www.coxautomotive.co.uk/

 

They have more or less reverse engineered the TravelPower and have made the various test jigs needed.

 

.................Dave

For a full repair, they ask you to supply the alt, the magic box and the cable, which can be a bit of a b*gger.

[Top cat]

Thanks Dave, duly noted just in case and they are just up the cut from me.

 

T C

[cuthound]

 

A good 3-4kW diesel generator will use something of the order of 0.3 litre of diesel per kWh being generated.

This figure is reasonably accurate for diesel generators of all sizes, where the diesel engine is directly coupled to the alternator and is governed to run at a constant speed irrespective of load changes.

 

I have extensive experience of witnessing the factory testing standby generator sets from 10kVA up to 10MVA, and fuel consumption was always 0.25-0.3 litres per kWh hour (half a pint per kWh in old money),

[Keith M]

As someone who design and install electrical systems in both marine and mobile applications

 

As this is go to be ea new build the D voltage must be 24-volts this is not up for disscusion

 

There are three possibilities to power a washing machine

 

High output alternator plus a quality inverter or an inverter / charger

 

Or either a DC generator plus and inverter or an inverter / charger

 

Or a AC generator

 

Some food for thought

 

Keith

[magictime]

I'd rather spend £80 or £100 on a portable twin tub. They seem to have a pretty good reputation, for spin drying as well as washing, and use a lot less power.

[Robbo]

I'd rather spend £80 or £100 on a portable twin tub. They seem to have a pretty good reputation, for spin drying as well as washing, and use a lot less power.

 

Hello 1950's.

[Geo]

I'd rather spend £80 or £100 on a portable twin tub. They seem to have a pretty good reputation, for spin drying as well as washing, and use a lot less power.

 

It depends on what the owner wants to achieve, a good comfortable convenient level of accommodation or happy just to be on a boat with minimum facilities. I get the impression as the OP is buying a wide beam that a little more comfort and convenience is required. Each case is different and depends on use and the customer's needs and wants.

[billS]

On a wide beam with plenty of space, I would go for a separate diesel generator. They can be had for less than £3.5K.

[dmr]

On a wide beam with plenty of space, I would go for a separate diesel generator. They can be had for less than £3.5K.

 

A nice big built in diesel generator would be the obvious choice on a CCing widebeam, giving a backup electricity option should the main engine fail.

Less clear cut on a narrowboat where space is at a premium, the travelpower is probably the better option unless you have a precious vintage engine.

For a full repair, they ask you to supply the alt, the magic box and the cable, which can be a bit of a b*gger.

 

I think they are flexible about this, if the TP is working and its just a service, and you confirm that the ends of the cable look in good condition, they should be ok without it. I bet they have a spare cable themselves to do any testing,

 

................Dave

[Geo]

 

A nice big built in diesel generator would be the obvious choice on a CCing widebeam, giving a backup electricity option should the main engine fail.

Less clear cut on a narrowboat where space is at a premium, the travelpower is probably the better option unless you have a precious vintage engine.

 

If a NB is a new build it is quite easy to find a home for it, it does not have to be with the engine. On a second-user boat being converted to a liveaboard it can be more difficult to find a space, but it is quite remarkable that even on an old boat the amount of space that is not properly utilised.

Edited September 16, 2016 by Geo

[nipper]

I have the Travel pack and wouldn't be without it.

 

I use Ed Shiers for all my Travel Pack Service and spares. (07922 163072 or email ed@fc-marine.co.uk).

 

He will post those spares for you to a place of your choosing, so you can be up and running with the least aggravation.

 

He has come out and sorted a little problem i had a couple of years ago and charges a very reasonable amount for the service and he is a nice bloke as well!

 

My main alternator failed last year and Canal and River Rescue did a poor job of getting it rewound for me, that Travel Pack came into it's own providing me with power untill Ed came out and fitted a new alternator within a few days.

 

Coxes may be good at doing what they do and i am not knocking them at all but, for me, it's the guy who works on his own and gives a good service and comes to you that will get my work anytime!

 

Nipper

[WhiteSuit]

Our boat came with travel power, as previously said to run a washing machine which we do when cruising. It went wrong this summer and I took generator, controller and cable to Cox's. Very impressed with their service. They suggested a three year service by them at around £80 plus vat. Take them the generator and controller so they can replace bearings, brushes, clean and system check.

There other advice was to use it more than with just the washing machine. You're turning it to generate all the time the engine is running, so we will be using an electric kettle and running the fridge off it rather than using the inverter. I have also used it for short running periods with the immersion when moored for several days.

Also advised to start it with no electric load and get it spinning before switching things on, keeping engine revs at 1100 and above.

[Electronics]

Its more expensive at first but running a boat at 230V ac via an inverter can save money in the long run (esp new builds) over the price of all those 12V items.

I would fit a 3KW inverter dual feed, shore power and a 3 KW generator from the engine. The next thing is to ensure you buy an A plus,plus rated washing machine.

[Paul C]

Its more expensive at first but running a boat at 230V ac via an inverter can save money in the long run (esp new builds) over the price of all those 12V items.

 

 

Doesn't make sense - can you clarify the components you mean?

[dmr]

Our boat came with travel power, as previously said to run a washing machine which we do when cruising. It went wrong this summer and I took generator, controller and cable to Cox's. Very impressed with their service. They suggested a three year service by them at around £80 plus vat. Take them the generator and controller so they can replace bearings, brushes, clean and system check.

There other advice was to use it more than with just the washing machine. You're turning it to generate all the time the engine is running, so we will be using an electric kettle and running the fridge off it rather than using the inverter. I have also used it for short running periods with the immersion when moored for several days.

Also advised to start it with no electric load and get it spinning before switching things on, keeping engine revs at 1100 and above.

 

This is mostly good advice but getting new bearings every few years is the main thing. You can clean out the electronics box yourself if you are happy to open up the box. I don't really see any great advantage in making the travelpower work hard for the sake of it, (unlike diesel engines) but if running the engine out of gear to charge batteries then putting the immersion on is a great way to load up the engine and get it warmer quicker. Starting up the TP off load is also good, if nothing else to take load off the belt when its cold, but we start ours on load very often (forget to turn the immersion heater off) and it appears to cope ok.

 

...............Dave

[Tonka]

Can I ask Dave what kind of revs and what size wheels do you have on your JD3. It is just that I am thinking of putting a travel power pack on a BD3 to replace a Markon sl105 which is playing up